TINA: Actually, I didn’t think I was the type of person who would have ever have it done. I thought it was for people who are really well to do and who have a lot of time to recover and things like that. And the video that I saw online about liposuction scared me to death. So I never thought I would do something like this. I gave birth to twins when I was 41 and no matter what you do there’s still that area that’s really hard to get rid of and it got me really depressed and self-conscious. And then I saw something online about the Tickle Procedure and started investigating of, you know, those options. And after consulting with you, I felt that that was the right option for me. It was not invasive like the scary things I saw online. And it was very cost-effective for me and It fit my budget. No downtime so I didn’t have to worry about missing any work. So I really wanted to do it to feel better about myself so it was an opportunity to help me do that. So that is why I came in.

DR. ZELKO: So let’s just go back because you mentioned about scary video.

TINA: Yes. Traditional liposuction with the big probes and the constant back and forth with ramming and jamming I was like, “how possibly would someone want to do that” because it is so invasive to me. And then hearing about how they have to lay down in the recovery period, it was something that I never would want to experience or go through.

DR. ZELKO: So is it more of the fear of the medical procedure or more of just the excessive downtime that you would have with the procedure or the cost of which — get it listed by one [crosstalk]

TINA: Right. Rank of all of it would be just the visual of what the doctor or whoever is doing it there. Just the technique of it, it was really scary for me. The 2nd was cost because I did look and didn’t know about the Tickle Procedure so the traditional liposuction is pretty expensive. And then, I think, would be the downtime after that was 3rd on my list.

DR. ZELKO: So you talked about lipo and talked about the fact that this is how we get something for you one because of the severe procedure. Two, because of the costs. But obviously, you kept thinking about it.

TINA: Yes.

DR. ZELKO: So what led you to finding Tickle? Just internet search? Some ad? Or what?

TINA: To be honest it was the ad. I’m part of the group on Amazon kind of email coupons that you get. So that’s when I saw it first. And then what really helped is seeing the website, seeing the actual pictures. I did research then following up on some other things online, actually seeing the procedure done. And I was skeptical because I saw someone laughing. We will talk about that, I’m sure, later but seeing someone actually giggling during the procedure I’m like: “Okay, that’s got to be fake — kidding me? Who’s going to giggle?” And then just, again, the testimonials I think it is very important not just on your website but seeing testimonials from other people. There’s so many things you can get on reviews of people. I think that was also important to see how other people felt about it. So that’s how I learned about Tickle a little bit more.

DR. ZELKO: So you saw the video of Tickle. You said that’s fixed, that’s fake. Someone is doing this but nothing is really happening.

TINA: Mmm..hmm.

DR. ZELKO: So when you’re on the table having it done, what were you thinking at that point?

TINA: Okay, well, first, I really did appreciate everybody making sure I was comfortable at every step of the way and it wasn’t like: “Okay, it’s been 5 minutes, I’m going to check on them. Are they okay?”. It was generally looking at how my eyes were or was I smiling or grimacing or anything like that. It was truly, “let me make sure you’re okay”. Now, I had the upper and lower abs done so I don’t know if there’s tickling if you do your thighs, your arms or anything like that but, especially when you’re doing around the rib area work, it tickled and I tried stopping myself from giggling because I didn’t know if it would affect what was being done during the procedure. But then I was comforted to know that if you need to laugh, laugh and I did especially around the rib area. It would just tickles. Now, you know, people experience things different I’m sure. I was, you know, the fear of the unknown so I was worried what does the incision feel and like what does it feel to actually have the device put into you and I’m — needles don’t mean anything to me. They’re easy. I didn’t feel the injection. I didn’t feel the incision. You feel a little tightness when that kind of probe goes in, if that’s the proper thing to use the device. Other than that I didn’t really feel anything. So it was kind of amazing, totally different than the videos I saw of traditional liposuction.

DR. ZELKO: So at that point you were looking at the video that you didn’t believe, that it is impossible that this person in the room was taking the whole procedure. And now you’re feeling the exact same thing or seeing what she was experiencing.

TINA: Exactly.

DR. ZELKO: So it is not fake.

TINA: It is not fake at all.

DR. ZELKO: It’s real.

TINA: I giggled. I totally giggled.

DR. ZELKO: So in a scale of 1 to 10 — 1 being minimal to no pain whatsoever the procedure, 10 being the worst pain you ever felt with the procedure, how would you rate this procedure? The procedure itself.

TINA: Oh, goodness. For me, personally — and I truly do have a higher pain tolerance as well but maybe 2 or 3 tops. The procedure itself wasn’t bad and even afterwards the recovery I didn’t feel as bad either. I guess the only thing I would recommend was really talking about just kind of the ooziness because all the liquid that’s injected to make sure that you’re comfortable with the pain medication, it has to go and come out somewhere. So I think that was more uncomfortable than the actual physical pain. It was just a weird feeling because you are draining for a while. It’s not the long, you know. I think mine was maybe 12 hours but that was something that kind of took me by surprise of how much you actually do drain out.

DR. ZELKO: We do counsel that you would be sagging. [crosstalk]

TINA: You can but it is until you experience it, it is a little interesting.

DR. ZELKO: [inaudible-00:07:28]

TINA: It can be. You know you have to be — you do counsel us of making sure you have clothes that you’re comfortable getting dirty or throwing away afterwards. And it is really true, you do, but it is such a minor inconvenience compared to the immediate results that I saw and the immediate results that — I was laying on the couch after I got home just kicking my feet up, relaxing, and my husband walked in. He’s like: “Wow! You can totally tell the difference.” He goes: “You can really see.” Especially with my upper abs. He was like: “it’s just night and day”. And then he would leave and then he’d come back and he’s like: “Wow! I can’t believe the difference.”

DR. ZELKO: Thank God he noticed.

TINA: It completely did and it wasn’t that: “Oh honey, your hair looks good today.” No. It was like: “Wow!” And every time he’d walk in I could see him looking at me and go “Wow!”. And that’s some — I wasn’t doing it for my husband. I was really doing it for my confidence level and to make myself feel better and help me just continue that on but wow, was that a boost for me so that was nice.
DR. ZELKO: That was nice, of course.

TINA: It was.

DR. ZELKO: Leading up to the procedure, did you feel that, even though you did not believe the video, you feel that everything else was consistent with what we discussed at the time of consultation, what we sent to you as far as information before the procedure, talking with the people with your garment. Was anything missing that you felt that: “Okay, geez, I wish I would have known .” Aside from the sagginess, is there anything missing that you felt like will be added to — what more additional information would be helpful to ease your transition through the procedure?

TINA: I don’t believe so. I think my only recommendation there is sometimes a little too much information and it’s odd that I’m one would say that but some of the information of the pre-procedure instructions, the medications that you do recommend you stay away from, some of the foods, things like that, sometimes it was repetitive which, of course, that’s good. And I’m the person who like to go through lists over and over again but there was just so much information, good information, but there’s a lot of it that I wanted to make sure that I had it all down. But I knew exactly what was going to happen that day. I knew that I could call you at any time if I had any problems afterwards. So I think it was all fine.

DR. ZELKO: Once at home, once you’re over your sagginess, once you had wild effect from your husband, what was your routine? How much did you slow down your routine? How long did you go back to normal routine or a period of days post procedure?

TINA: The next day I went back to work and I do have a sit down job, mostly computer. So I had to consciously make sure that every hour I did get up because — the garment you wear is actually really comfortable. It looks very old fashioned and something that someone wore a long time ago but it is comfortable when you get this procedure done and afterwards too. So I didn’t change my routine in the fact of, you know, if I take my dog for a walk, I still took my dog for a walk but I maybe didn’t go as long because I wanted to make sure I’m doing everything proper. I made sure that I got up every hour. I did a lot of massaging of the area. Especially when I got home I still got some of the medication that were in my system, really rubbing and working everything. I think that helped a lot. But other than that, I really didn’t change anything that I did.

DR. ZELKO: Okay, so let’s discuss post-op of discomfort. 1 being minimal discomfort post op, 10 being the worst, how would you rate the first day or two post procedure?

TINA: Well, the first day, not bad at all because, again, you still do have the medications in your body that was put in but then you have — if you do need further pain medication that’s available to you. I would say the second day was probably when I started experiencing and it was more of like muscle ache. Like if you work out too hard and your muscles are sore and when you bend a certain way you’re like: “Ugh!”. It was more like that. Not a sharp stabbing pain by any means. More like, “Wow, my muscles hurt”. So that lasted maybe 2 or 3 days. The 2nd day when all your meds are out of your system, you feel it more, but then it gradually goes away but it was more that. If you move too quickly it’s like: “Oh”. It was, you know, you felt like you did a big workout which your body probably did but that’s how it felt.

DR. ZELKO: You mentioned being in this — off hand [inaudible-12:24]. Was the procedure worth what you paid?

TINA: Absolutely. Yeah. It absolutely was. No doubt. No doubt at all. I was also — I think a caught a special going on which was really good and the price point for me — perfect. My husband was so comfortable with it because we also have that very elevated cost of traditional lipo that we had in our head. So I was very fortunate to find that cost savings in addition. I think that if that cost savings wasn’t there, I still would have done that procedure because it wasn’t as much as I thought it would be. So I think I benefited from that special you guys had running bit I think I would have still paid that normal price because I thought it was very fair.

DR. ZELKO: With people that are on your situation and looking at liposuction, lipo sculpture and having the fears that you listed before as far as the pain, the cost, the downtime, what would be your counsel to them if they were coming to you and saying: “I understand what you went through. I have gone through it right now.” Give me some words of advice.

TINA: Yes. Research. Not some like an after school special. Knowledge is power. Doing all your research. I think it is really hard. It’s hard just to see what is on the internet and web because you don’t know what’s true and what’s false. First step, coming in and talking to you and your staff is important, really seeing who you are. Probably anybody can do a procedure like this, no offense, but it’s the care, support and understanding you get from the staff and from the members here that I think elevates it a little bit. That caring and that compassion — it’s not just: “let’s get another body”. In here it is: “how is this going to work for you” and “I want you to be truly comfortable and what you’re getting into”. So I think coming in for a consultation is key. The second is, things like these, doing the video and hearing other people speak about it. I have been a firm believer that talking to people who have had it done or hearing how the procedure was by the person who experienced it is very important and powerful. So having a referral program or having people who are comfortable saying: “Hey! Go ahead and email me and ask me questions. I will let you know the truth” I think that’s the 2nd thing people need to know. Make sure that they’re comfortable with it. It’s hard. Again, you’ve never experienced it and you’re afraid of the unknown but if you can afford it and you know that this is, again, not a weight loss program. This isn’t something like “now I can go eat a whole bunch of hohos because I could always just get this done again”. It’s not. It’s an opportunity to give that power back of things that you may have lost of being depressed or upset that you can’t lose something that probably could never go away on its own. So just making sure that this is an opportunity to go to that next level for yourself.

DR. ZELKO: So how would you summarize your — was it emotional state or just how you feel about yourself prior to this procedure and now 1 month after?

TINA: Yeah. I’ve always, my whole life, a very positive person. I’ve been such a nurturer, a giver, a caretaker to all my friends, family. And when at the age of 41, having those twins and seeing that my body is never going to go back, you know, I’m a little bit older and twins kind of put a number on you, I was at the lowest self-esteem I’ve ever had in my life. So I was disappointed at myself for not being able to find that positive light at the end of the tunnel. And it really, in a little bit, affected my marriage just because he sees me as a beautiful person to begin with, why couldn’t I? So it was just a really low part in my self-esteem. One month after, oh my gosh, I just get a lot of hugs in the household. I have a lot of family support because I was really open with my family of what I wanted to have done and their top concern is: “is it safe for you?”. And they’re supportive of me and how I feel. I always have a smile on my face. I don’t shy away from mirrors when I walk through the house anymore. I can like, “hey!” So, you know, it’s totally boosted that level for me.

DR. ZELKO: Okay Tina. Thank you very much for coming and giving us your time.